CytoSorbents Corporation, a leader in critical care immunotherapy, specializing in blood purification, announced the advanced development of its next generation, patent-pending CytoSorb-XL platform for the treatment of severe sepsis and septic shock, at the start of the 1st World Sepsis Congress and on the eve of World Sepsis Day.

CytoSorb-XL is a new, state-of-the-art porous polymer bead technology that combines lipopolysaccharide (LPS) endotoxin removal with the robust cytokine, toxin, and inflammatory mediator reduction achieved by CytoSorb. CytoSorb-XL and its novel endotoxin binding chemistry is the subject of a broad composition of matter patent application, intended to protect the technology worldwide for the next two decades.

In a head-to-head comparison with the leading endotoxin adsorber, Toraymyxin (Toray, Japan), CytoSorb-XL matched the level of endotoxin reduction in an in vitro plasma recirculation system on a comparable volume basis. CytoSorb-XL is expected to eliminate the need for stand-alone endotoxin specific filters by offering superior performance in the removal of not just endotoxin, but a much broader array of inflammatory mediators that drive uncontrolled deadly inflammation, organ failure, and death in sepsis.

"The development of CytoSorb-XL is an outstanding achievement for our company and highlights a clear future evolution of sepsis treatment using blood purification," stated Dr. Phillip Chan, chief executive officer of CytoSorbents. "Endotoxin, produced by Gram negative bacteria such as E. coli, is a potent and deadly trigger of severe sepsis and septic shock, but wreaks its havoc through the activation of the immune system and generation of systemic inflammation through cytokine storm. This is why endotoxin removal alone is not enough and why the simultaneous removal of endotoxin, cytokines, exotoxins, and other inflammatory mediators is anticipated to be much more efficacious. In other words, treatment of sepsis by CytoSorb-XL is expected to be a classic case where one plus one equals three."

Dr. Chan continued, "Today, our flagship extracorporeal cytokine adsorber CytoSorb has already helped to save the lives of many, many septic patients around the world.  As we continue international commercialization of CytoSorb in critical care and cardiac surgery, we will actively pursue completion of pre-clinical and clinical development of CytoSorb-XL. CytoSorb-XL is intended to be a worthy eventual successor to CytoSorb for all clinical applications."

Sepsis is the overzealous immune response to a life-threatening infection often leading to organ dysfunction, organ failure, and death. According to the Global Sepsis Alliance, sepsis afflicts an estimated 30 million people each year, is more common than a heart attack, and claims more lives than any cancer, killing one person every 3-4 seconds. Sepsis remains the primary cause of death following an infection and remains a top 10 killer worldwide. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) lists sepsis as the most expensive condition treated in US hospitals, costing $23.7 billion in 2013, accounting for 6.2% of the aggregate cost of all hospitalizations.